When There's No One There
by GoodOl'WhatsHerName
Summary: When his mother dies, eight-year-old Kurt has a hard time seeing the positive side of things. Everything changes when he meets Blaine, a boisterous seven-year-old. He teaches Kurt that there's always something to smile about. But as the years go on, Kurt begins to realize that there's something terribly wrong with his childhood friend.
1. When I Was Young

_A/N: Hello there! Are you ready to take a journey? I'm going to go ahead and apologize in advance. This story does take a rather wicked turn later on. You've been warned. I'll try to update as often as I can. Please leave a comment! You're input is very much appreciated. Thank you and have a beautiful day :D_

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Chapter 1: When I Was Young

Kurt stuffed his tiny little fingers into his ears so he couldn't hear what else his father had to say. The action was pointless, though, given that he already couldn't hear over his own sobs.

"La la la la la la la la!" He chanted over and over to block out the sound even more. His voice was broken and hoarse.

His dad, Burt, didn't try to stop him. Truth be told, Burt wished he hadn't heard the news either. He just watched his impossibly fragile son crumble into a million pieces. He was trying his best not to do the same. Kurt dropped to the ground in the grass of their front lawn where he had just been playing carelessly. Normally, Kurt would try his best to keep from lying on the soft ground to avoid grass stains. Now, he didn't care. He didn't care about what his dad was saying. He didn't care about the ball he was playing with, which had now rolled into the street. He didn't care about the dance recital he had the next day. He didn't care about going to go see "Finding Nemo" that weekend like they had planned and he most certainly did not care about the grass stains on his pants. There was only one thing he cared about. His mother. And she was dead.

Burt reached out and hugged Kurt in an attempt to comfort him. Kurt kicked and screamed and cried with his fingers still stuffed in his ears. Burt didn't know what to do. How do you comfort your son after you tell him his mom is dead? Hug him? Give him a pat on the back? Tell him it's going to be okay? Burt most definitely did not know what to do. His wife would know what to do. Elizabeth would know exactly how to deal with the situation. But, of course, she wasn't there. In fact, her not being there was the problem.

Passersby watched the scene unfold. Some thought it was merely a child having a temper tantrum. Some thought that the child had done something wrong and his father was fixing to discipline him. All were caught by surprise when nothing else happened. The two just sat on their front lawn holding each other and weeping. They stayed that way for a while.

There was a soft knock at Kurt's bedroom door with a gently voice accompanying it.

"Kurt?" Said Burt as he leaned in through the doorway.

Kurt was sitting up in his bed cuddling a pillow against his chest. He nodded, signaling that it was okay for his father to enter. Burt shuffled in and sat at the end of his son's bed. Kurt didn't look at him. His red-rimmed eyes appeared to be lost somewhere else.

"Look, Kurt," His father started, but paused. He knew what he was going to say, it was _how _he was going to say it that troubled him. He had been practicing outside Kurt's door for the past hour, "This sucks. This really and truly sucks. It's not fair, and no one deserves that. No one deserves to have someone leave their life like that. No one deserves to die like-"

Burt stopped midsentence at the sight of tears forming in Kurt's eyes. It had only been several days since Elizabeth died of a heart attack. It was quite obviously still a touchy subject and would be for a long time. He leaned forward and grabbed his son's hand, giving it a firm squeeze.

"She loved you Kurt. That's what matters. She loved you more than you could ever know, and she was so proud of you, Kurt. I know that the past couple of days have been really hard, and you have been so strong, but if you could just find the courage deep down inside of yourself to come to her funeral-"

Kurt slowly began shaking his head.

"Why not." Burt asked. Kurt not wanting to attend his mother's funeral perplexed him. Why wouldn't the boy want to see his mother one last time before she was gone forever?

Kurt sat a moment and then took a deep shaky breath, "Because the last time I saw mommy, she was happy. I don't want to see her at the funeral dead. I don't want to remember her dead. I just want to remember the last time I saw her. When she was happy." He gripped his father's hand tightly as he started to tremble. He looked to Burt with his leaky eyes. "I don't want her to be dead, daddy. I want her to be happy."

Burt made a call to the funeral director that night. He made sure that it would be a closed-casket service.

If you asked Kurt when he was much older why he didn't want to see his mother at her funeral, he would say it was just some childish decision and that either way, it wouldn't have mattered to him weather he saw her or not. Of course, he would have been lying. Eight-year-old Kurt was set on keeping his final memory of his mother just the way it was. His mom was leaving for work, just as she did everyday. Nothing special. Nothing different. Kurt ran up and hugged her right before she left.

"Bye mommy! I love you!" He chirped.

His mother bent down to meet him at eye level. Her long brunette hair was cascading down her torso and her pacific blue eyes gleaming. Elizabeth gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "Bye Kurt. I love you, too."

And then she was gone. Out the door and never back through it. His father drove him to school before heading to the shop, just like everyday. When his dad came to pick him up on that Thursday afternoon, all Kurt could think about was the weekend.

"How long 'til Finding Meemo?" Kurt asked excitedly, jumping up and down in his seat, jostling his bag.

Burt chuckled, "I don't know about Finding Meemo, but we are going to go see Finding _Nemo_."

Kurt threw his head back and let out an exaggerated sigh, "You know that's what I mean! When are we gonna see it?"

"In 2 days. But first, you have your dance recital tomorrow. Why your mother signed you up for it in the first place, I'll never know." He grumbled

"But I like dancing, dad." Kurt countered sheepishly.

"I know, I know. It's just not exactly the manliest thing out there. You sure you don't want to play football or baseball or something like that?" His dad questioned, peering at him through the rearview mirror.

Kurt shook his head slowly and offered the same response, but quieter this time, "I like dancing."

Burt sighed, "Soccer? Track?"

Kurt just shook his head again.

"Oh well," Burt sighed, "I guess a lot of girls do dancing. You'll have the ladies all over you in no time." He smiled.

Kurt smiled back, but wasn't exactly anticipating having the ladies all over him.

When they arrived home, Kurt took off, running in circles around the yard. He threw his backpack near the front door and continued sprinting while Burt disappeared inside. Kurt didn't notice that his mom wasn't back from work yet. He _did_ notice his dad's tear-stained face as he shuffled out the front door towards him. Kurt dropped the ball he was bouncing.

"Daddy? What's wrong? You're crying?"

Burt kneeled down, trembling, "Kurt… I… I need to tell you something."

After the funeral, nothing really bothered Kurt. Any slight inconveniences like kids pushing him down on the playground or spilling something on his shirt didn't really register. He just accepted it and moved along with the same dull expression. About a week later, after school, his father took a different route than usual.

"Hey, Kurt." Burt called out into the vehicle.

Kurt sat silently.

"I picked up a new shift at work, so from now on, after school, you're going to have to wait at the daycare until I get off, okay?" Burt asked.

Kurt didn't respond.

He pulled up to the daycare and reached one hand back to touch the boy's knee, "Hey."

Kurt raised his gaze slowly to meet his father's.

"You gonna be okay here? I can just skip work and we can go home if you want."

The thought of making his dad skip work made Kurt feel guilty, "I'll be okay."

Burt offered a smile, and then got out of the car to head to the building with Kurt following closely behind. Once inside, a woman greeted his father and they talked for a little bit until Burt finally kneeled down to address Kurt.

"Alright, Kurt, I gotta go now." Burt hugged him.

"I love you dad."

"I love you, too." He stood and left the building, leaving Kurt with one of the caretakers.

"Hello Kurt. My name is Candy. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to our Big Kid room." Said the plump and overly smiley woman. She walked down the hallway and led Kurt to a door at the very end. She opened it and gestured for him to enter. Reluctantly, Kurt moseyed through the doorway and looked around. The room was filled with noisy, rowdy children. Candy shut the door and left him there by himself. Kurt felt like the odd man out. All of the other children were running around and having a good time while Kurt just stood there solemnly. Why were they all so happy? What was there to be so happy about? Kurt stood his ground, not wanting to brave the waters of the ocean of children. All of a sudden, they all became even noisier and started to run towards a door on the other side of the room. Everyone was leaving. He didn't know what to do. Should he ask? Someone patting his shoulder startled Kurt. He quickly turned to see a shorter, dark-haired boy with big hazel eyes and an even bigger smile.

"Hi! My name's Blaine! What's yours?"


	2. Not Alone

Chapter 2: Not Alone

Kurt didn't answer him. He just stood there silently.

"Not a big talker, huh? That's okay." Blaine reassured.

Kurt was still unresponsive.

"Everyone's going outside to play. Do you want to play with me? We can play superheroes! You can choose if you want to be the superhero or the bad guy."

Kurt examined the boy. He had to have been about the same age, maybe younger. His excitement was overbearing. Kurt decided that he didn't want to be the only one not playing, so he agreed to play with him. They both left, with Blaine chattering the whole way to the playground. The playground consisted of a small courtyard paved with cement with the building itself enclosing the yard. In the center, there was some multicolored equipment that kids were playing on. There was laughter and shouts of joy throughout the crowd, except for Kurt. He just followed the talkative boy to one side of the playground.

"I'm seven right now, but when I'm eight, my mommy said I could start taking swimming lessons! Can you swim?"

The mention of the Blaine's mother made Kurt remember what had happened a week ago. He had almost forgotten with all of the craziness of the daycare. Kurt started to sniffle, but didn't let tears fully form. Blaine noticed that he was upset.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I made you sad. It's okay if you can't swim. I can't either!" He said quickly, trying to stop Kurt from crying. He stopped in his tracks. "Okay, here's how you play. One of us is the superhero and one of us is the bad guy. Who do you want to be?"

Kurt only shrugged his shoulders.

He tried to decipher why his new acquaintance was so down in the dumps. "You can be the hero, it's the best one. I'll be the bad guy!" Blaine suddenly took off in a random direction, "Come on! Catch me! I'm getting away!"

Kurt watched him for a moment as he pranced around in circles, weaving around passing children. When Blaine finally realized he wasn't being chased, he stopped and approached Kurt again with a smug grin on his face.

"Ah ha! I see that my freeze ray works! You're frozen, superhero, and there's nothing you can do! All you can do is stand there! Now I can go rob banks and you can't stop me!" Blaine let out a maniacal laugh and started running in circles around Kurt, "You can't catch me! You can't catch me!"

Kurt was starting to get annoyed with the act. Blaine just kept running and chanting. First, his mom dies, then, his dad leaves him at this strange place full of obnoxious kids, and then this irritating brat came up to him and won't shut up. Finally, he cracked. Just as Blaine was finishing yet another lap, Kurt lunged forward, tackling the little snot to the ground. Blaine's smile was gone in a flash as they both fell with a thud. Kurt held the smaller boy to the ground, pushing his shoulders down with his hands. He held him there for a moment to make sure he got his point across. Kurt released the boy and stood, crossing his arms to show that he was still angry. Blaine didn't move at first. He sat, staring at Kurt in bewilderment. A smile started tugging at his mouth as he sprung to his feet.

"No! My freeze ray has failed! Now the superhero can catch me! How will I rob banks now?" Blaine took off again, screaming like a mad man.

For the first time in a long time, Kurt smiled. He actually smiled. And before his mind knew what his body was doing, he was running after Blaine. He was smiling and running, just like all of the other kids. Finally, Kurt felt like he belonged. They laughed and played for what seemed like hours. Eventually, the associates began corralling children back into the building. Kurt noticed, and stopped Blaine, who was beginning to run inside.

"Kurt." He said, "My name is Kurt."

Blaine smiled a triumphantly and marched back into the building with a sense of accomplishment.

Inside, all of the kids settled down along a lengthy picnic table in the middle of the large room. Each child had several sheets of paper and crayons were scattered throughout. They were told to draw their favorite thing. Blaine had saved a seat for Kurt right next to him at the end of the table. He flagged him down and told him to sit.

"I can tell that you don't like people that much, so I picked a spot at the end." Whispered the smaller boy.

"Thank you."

Kurt thought over what his favorite thing was. It didn't take him long to come up with something to draw. He picked up several crayons, all of various colors, and began scribbling furiously. When he was finished, he looked around at what all of the kids around him had drawn. Most were still working on their doodles. There were pictures of different foods, places, and toys, but none quite like what Kurt had drawn. He began to feel a little self-conscious, so he turned over his drawing to make sure no one could see it. He glanced over to see what Blaine had drawn. Instead of one favorite thing, he had created a collage. There were music notes scattered all over the page with several birds as well. In the center, was a crudely drawn self-portrait of Blaine wearing an enormous pink bowtie and pink sunglasses while giving two thumbs up. A speech bubble protruded out and said "bo ties are kool".

Blaine caught Kurt peaking over. "You like it?" He asked earnestly. "I worked really hard to do the birds right." He pointed to a squiggled "M" that was supposed to be a bird in flight.

Kurt replied, "It's very nice."

"Let me see yours."

"No." Kurt answered.

"Why not? I'm sure it's good." Blaine assured.

"I didn't do it right."

"How didn't you do it right? Did you draw your favorite thing?"

Kurt nodded slowly.

"Then you did it right." Blaine said sincerely.

With a sigh of defeat, Kurt turned over his drawing. He had drawn his family. Blaine took only a moment to examine to picture, "Who's that?" He pointed.

"My dad."

"Is that you?" He pointed to the figure next to his father.

"Yep."

"Why are you two sad?" Blaine asked, furrowing his brow.

Kurt just shrugged.

"Who's that?" He asked, pointing at the final figure.

Kurt hesitated, "My mom." He answered solemnly.

Blaine seemed perplexed, "Why is she underground?"

"Because she's dead." Kurt deadpanned.

Blaine stopped examining the picture and started examining his companion's face, "I'm sorry."

Kurt bit the insides of his cheeks.

"I just have one more question. Why is she smiling if she's dead? Shouldn't she look, you know, dead and not happy?"

Kurt's sniffled and his eyes started to water, but he refused to let any tears fall. Like the man had said at the funeral, they should celebrate his mother's life, not mourn her death. People celebrate birthday parties. And you aren't supposed to cry at birthday parties. If he was going to celebrate her life, he wasn't going to cry.

"Because that's how I remember her." Kurt finally choked out.

"She looks nice." Blaine pointed out, not really sure of what to say.

"She was."

Blaine saw that Kurt was on the verge of breaking down. He spoke up again. "It's okay to cry, Kurt. It's always okay to cry if you need to."

"I don't need to." Kurt growled.

"Well, if you ever do, it's okay. It's okay to smile, too, even when you're supposed to be sad. 'Specially when you're sad."

Blaine may not have known it then, but Kurt listened to that piece of advice and took it to heart.

Later on, while Kurt and Blaine were playing with toy cars, Kurt noticed that his dad was standing by the door having a discreet conversation with one of the associates. He rose to go to his father, but was stopped by a small tug at his pant leg.

"Will you come back tomorrow?" Blaine asked sheepishly.

"I hope so."

That earned him a smile from the smaller boy. Deciding to leave off on that note, Kurt bounded over to his dad.

"Hey Kurt! How's it going, buddy?" Burt asked, squatting to meet Kurt at eye level.

"Good."

"What did you do today?"

Kurt glanced over to Blaine who had managed to stack several cars on top of his head. He smiled at the silly boy, "I made a new friend."


	3. Friday Night

Chapter 3: Friday Night

Kurt did come back the next day. In fact, he came back many days after that. And sure enough, every time that he came back Blaine was waiting for him. The two would play for hours on end until Burt finally arrived to take his son home. They quickly became best friends. Kurt began wondering why he didn't see Blaine at school. Blaine said that he went to a different school and that he came to this daycare because it was closer to where his parents worked. Eventually, Blaine turned eight and took those swimming lessons he was so excited to take. Kurt saw how much joy it brought to him, so he decided that he wanted to take swimming lessons as well.

"Please!" Kurt begged, following Burt to their living room.

"I don't know, Kurt." His father answered as he took a seat in a large armchair.

"But I really really want to!"

"I know that you really really want to, but why do you want to all of a sudden? I thought you hated swimming. Something about chlorine being bad for your skin."

"Well duh. Too much chlorine gives you dry skin and sometimes rashes." Kurt said matter-of-factly.

"Then why do you want swimming lessons?"

"Because Blaine takes them."

Burt let out a long heavy sigh, "Okay, fine. I suppose you can."

Kurt began jumping up and down whilst clapping, "Thank you thank you thank you!" He threw his arms around his father.

A few days later, Kurt was signed up for swimming lessons. He was standing by a diving board at the community pool waiting for his instructor, who was talking to his father. Kurt didn't see Blaine. Where was he? They were at the right pool, right? His father said that they were going to have the same instructor. He began to worry that Blaine wasn't going to show up.

Kurt was fiddling with the string on his swimming trunks when his instructor approached him. It was a girl who couldn't have been any older than eighteen. She was wearing a bright red bikini and an awkward smile.

"Hello! You must be Kurt."

He nodded confidently.

She turned slightly to the left, "And you must be Blaine."

Much to his relief, Kurt turned to see Blaine standing behind him, "When did you get here?"

"I've been here," Blaine answered, "I was just in the bathroom."

"Oh, okay." Kurt smiled. He turned back to their instructor, ready to begin the lesson.

Throughout their lessons, they learned how to keep their heads above the water, different ways to swim, and how to dive and come back up. On their last day of lessons, Blaine decided that he wanted to jump off of the diving board.

"I don't think you should," Kurt said, gazing up the tall ladder, "Isn't it for grownups?"

"I'll be fine," Blaine reassured as he started heading up the ladder, "it's not like anyone has ever _died_ on it."

Kurt was still a little wary of the idea, but he let him go. He stepped back so he could see Blaine standing at the top. He walked up to the very edge of the board and then sprang off.

"Cannonball!" He screamed right before he hit the water with a loud splash.

Kurt cheered and applauded as Blaine popped back up.

"Way to go Blaine! That was so cool!" He shouted, earning him some strange looks from other pool goers.

When Blaine made his way out of the water, Kurt snatched him up into a quick hug, "I didn't think you were gonna make it."

Blaine broke the embrace, "Of course I was gonna make it. But if I didn't, at least there was a superhero here to save me." He chuckled, referring to the game they always played.

Kurt suddenly remembered something, "Oh yeah! I almost forgot! I'm having my birthday party on Friday night. Do you want to come?"

"Yeah," Blaine answered immediately, "that sounds awesome!"

"Awesome." Kurt repeated, smiling uncontrollably at the crazy boy.

Later that night, Kurt was helping his father make a cake for the party. It was just going to be a simple party with Blaine and Mercedes, Kurt's best friend from school.

Burt stuck the cake into the oven and closed the door. "So who all is coming to the party?"

Kurt was spinning a wooden spoon between his fingers, "Just Blaine and Mercedes."

"You sure you don't want to invite that kid who just moved in next door?"

"Jeremiah?" Kurt asked. Jeremiah had moved in not to long ago, and Kurt didn't know him very well. He was eleven, and he intimidated Kurt.

"Yes, Jeremiah. The kid is new and I've talked to his father. He said that Jeremiah doesn't have any friends here yet, so it would be very kind of you to invite him. Who knows, maybe you'll actually like him."

Kurt sat down the spoon and wiped his hands on his apron, "Okay, fine. I'll invite him."

The party started at five o'clock. Kurt was in his bedroom making sure he had an excellent outfit. He decided to wear grey dress pants with matching suspenders along with a light pink button up shirt. Kurt hadn't dressed up so nicely since his mother's funeral, he had been too distracted to. But tonight was different. He was going to have fun and try his best not to think of his mother. After all, you aren't supposed to cry at birthday parties.

When Kurt emerged from his room, he saw that Mercedes had already arrived and was talking to his father.

"I promise Mr. Hummel." She said.

"Promise what?" Kurt asked out of curiosity.

Burt looked startled as he turned to address his son, "To not cause any shenanigans." He smiled as he wandered into the kitchen.

"Hey Kurt. Happy birthday!" Mercedes greeted.

"Thanks," Kurt offered a grin, "are you the only one here so far?"

"Yep, just me."

"I wonder if Blaine will show up." Said Kurt, glancing out the window behind her that led to the front yard.

"Relax, boy. He'll come."

"How are you so sure? You haven't even met him." Kurt said.

"You talk about him _all_ the time. I pretty much already know him." Mercedes stressed.

They both perked up when they heard the doorbell ring. Kurt ran to open it. He was slightly disappointed to find that it wasn't Blaine, but Jeremiah and his dad instead.

"Hey there, Kurt," Jeremiah's father said, "happy birthday. Where's your dad?"

Kurt stepped to the side to allow them to come in, "He's in the kitchen."

He left, leaving Kurt, Mercedes, and Jeremiah all alone.

"Happy birthday." Said the oldest boy.

"Thanks."

They all stood for a moment before Mercedes spoke up, "Lets go play in your room, Kurt!"

"Okay."

They played with Kurt's toys for a short while. When he heard the doorbell ring again, Kurt hopped up, filled with excitement.

"Where are you going?" Asked Jeremiah.

"To answer the door!" Kurt said as he rushed out of his room, past the two men in the kitchen, and straight to the front door. He flung it open to see an adorable boy with his hair gelled down and a polka-dotted bowtie. Kurt hugged Blaine quickly, then grabbed his hand and dashed back to his room before the younger boy could even say hello.

"This is Blaine" Kurt introduced him as he entered his bedroom.

"Hi Blaine, I'm Mercedes."

"And I'm Jeremiah."

"Hello. It's nice to meet both of you." Blaine said.

They played hide-and-go-seek for a while. Blaine was always the last one hiding, and the finder always gave up. Jeremiah kept complaining that Blaine was cheating, but he was just a sore loser. Eventually, it was time to blow the candles out and open presents. All went smoothly, until Mercedes felt ill and her parents came to take her home. The three boys were sitting around in Kurt's room trying to figure out what to do when all hell broke loose.

"Tag?" Suggested Kurt.

"No." Jeremiah retorted, "Can't you come up with any _good_ games?"

He thought a moment, "We could play hide-and-seek again."

"No! All you can come up with is dumb baby games.

Kurt looked hurt, "I'm not a baby."

Jeremiah laughed, "Yeah you are! And you're a girl, too! Just look at what you're wearing, boys don't wear pink, you're just a little baby girl."

"Leave him alone." Blaine warned.

He ignored him, "You're just a dumb, crazy, little baby girl." Jeremiah taunted, "And you're gay, too."

Kurt was confused by the last insult, not knowing the meaning. The others, though, were starting to get to him.

"I said, leave him alone!" Blaine barked.

Jeremiah ignored him yet again, "Baby girl, baby girl!"

Kurt's eyes started to water and he hated it. You're not supposed to cry at birthday parties.

Jeremiah noticed, let out a chuckle, and decided to strike again, "See, you are a baby! You're crying! What are you gonna do, go crying to your mommy? Oh wait, you can't because she's dead –"

"Jeremiah!"

The booming voice startled all of the boys. It was Jeremiah's father. He reached out with his giant paw and grabbed Jeremiah's arm, dragging him out of the room. Burt moved to let him pass, and then entered the room to comfort his crying son. He knelt down and embraced Kurt, whispering soft words of support while Blaine stood nearby.

"Don't listen to him Kurt. He was just being mean." Said Burt, "I'm sorry for making you invite him. I'm so sorry."

Kurt was still crying, but had calmed down considerably. When his father left to go confront Jeremiah and his father, it was Blaine's turn to offer word of comfort.

"He's just a bully, Kurt. All he wanted to do was make you cry. You don't deserve that. He was just making things up. You're not a baby or a girl or any of those mean things he said. You're the coolest, nicest, smartest, and amazing kid I know "

Kurt hugged Blaine and didn't let go for a long time.

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_A/N: Thanks for reading, guys. I know it might seem a little slow, but I promise it's going somewhere. My stories are like rum chocolate souffles, if I don't warm them up right, they don't rise._


	4. You and I

Chapter 4: You and I

Years went by and Kurt and Blaine's budding friendship had turned into a full-blown tree. The two were inseparable and did everything together, whether it was going to the park, impromptu duets, watching movies, going to the mall, or just hanging out. Blaine had easily made his way into Kurt's group of friends. Nearly six years had passed, and their growing friendship was beginning to take a new form.

Kurt had just left school with his bag slung over one shoulder. The only thing he could think about was his Algebra test tomorrow and how to study for it. He was startled when two hands came from behind him and covered his eyes.

"Guess who." Said a ruff, but recognizable voice.

Kurt pried the hands off of his face and turned around to see his dapper best friend. "Blaine!" He squealed, "What are you doing here? I thought you were in South Dakota with your family."

"I just got back," Blaine beamed, "I asked my dad to drop me off so I could see you. I missed you, Kurt."

Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine and gave him a warm hug, "I missed you too." He was thrilled with the surprise arrival of his best friend, but when he saw kids across the yard pointing and laughing at them, his smile disappeared, "Perhaps we should continue this reunion somewhere else."

They both entered the Hummel household and dropped their backpacks near a coat hanger. Kurt moseyed into the kitchen with Blaine following closely behind.

"You hungry?" Asked Kurt as he grabbed an apple from a bowl.

"When aren't I?" Blaine joked as he grabbed an apple as well.

Kurt chuckled, and then continued, "So how was South Dakota? I hear it's beautiful."

"It is. There were lots of trails and wildlife and mountains." Blaine leaned forward across the counter between them that separated the room, "But, just between you and me, I'd much rather be here."

The two shared a smile and a comfortable silence while they finished their snacks. Blaine had changed a lot since Kurt had met him. He had grown considerably taller and had thinned out. His voice had dropped to a much lower octave, losing its shrill quality. Some things didn't change, though. Blaine still had the same big goofy smile and still gelled his hair down firmly. He also still sported a bowtie with nearly all of his outfits.

Kurt had changed as well. Blaine may have grown taller, but Kurt was still taller than him. His voice was still high and had yet to drop, but it didn't bother Kurt much. It made it much easier for him to hit higher notes. Kurt's wardrobe and sense of style was constantly changing, so it was always a bit of a surprise to see what he was wearing each day.

"So how's that fancy school of yours going?" Asked Kurt as he tossed his apple core in the wastebasket.

"It's fancy as usual, and strict, too. Dalton Academy is definitely more prestigious than I am."

"Why do you even go there? Why not come to McKinley? I know the kids can be rough, but I'm there, and the classes are easier." Kurt said.

"You know how my parents are. They don't want me interacting with the rabble of public school. I swear they're more strict and prestigious than Dalton Academy." Blaine shifted his jaw uneasily.

"I'm sure you could convince them. Tell them that all of your friends are there and that you want to be around them more." Kurt suggested.

"Considering they don't like me having friends over when they're not home, which is always, and when they are home, my father says," Blaine posed himself in the most regal way possible, pulled a snooty face, and gave his best impression of his dad, "Oh Blaine, your mother and I are very tired, and we don't need the ruckus. Perhaps another time, dear."

Kurt giggled, "That was an excellent impression. Your parents are ridiculous. I've known you since I was eight, and yet, I've never been to your house."

Blaine continued the impression, "Perhaps another time, dear."

Kurt hit his arm as he tried not to laugh and encourage him more, "Knock it off!"

"Now that's not very proper of you, Mr. Hummel! In my household, you will speak properly an politely!" Blaine mocked again, making his way around the counter as he approached his laughing friend.

"Blaine, stop!" He held up a hand and held him back.

"Blaine? How very improper of you, young man! How do you expect me to love you with _that_ language? You will refer to me as Sir Arnold Anderson!" Blaine declared, pushing forward, forcing Kurt to back up into the wall.

He was still laughing uncontrollably, "Stop it! I'm gonna pee!"

"PEEING? HOW DARE YOU!" Blaine cracked a smile, unable to ignore how absurd he sounded.

They were both so absorbed in their own laughter; they didn't hear the front door open.

"You boys seem to be having a lot of fun." Burt announced as they quieted down, "How was South Dakota?"

"Fun, if you enjoy staring at old men on rocks."

Burt smiled, "Well that sounds very nice. Kurt, have you done your homework?"

"Not yet." Kurt groaned. He turned to Blaine, "You wanna help me? I'm sure that fancy school of yours covers the subjects better."

"Sure."

In his room, Kurt was sitting on the floor, sifting through his various papers and assignments to find which one to do first. Blaine was outstretched on Kurt's bed with his hands folded behind his head and his eyes closed. He looked like he was sleeping. He looked so peaceful. Kurt paused and stared at him. Blaine's red shirt was pulled up slightly, reveling a sliver of skin just above his pants. Kurt felt strange. He felt something he had never felt before. He felt like he wanted to see more. At first, he didn't know how to react. Why was he feeling this about his best friend? Isn't that how he's supposed to feel about girls? Kurt didn't realize that Blaine's eyes had opened, and he was watching him.

"Is that biology?" Blaine asked, snapping Kurt out of his trance.

Kurt followed Blaine's eyes to the paper lying next to him, "Oh, um, yeah. It-it's biology."

Blaine sat up, leaving Kurt a little dismal that he had left his position.

"Let me see it." He reached out his hand and grabbed the paper, "The reproductive system?"

Kurt was still a little flustered, "Um, yeah, we just started it this week."

Blaine nodded at the paper and continued to read part of it allowed, "Use the word bank below to label parts of the female reproductive system in the following diagram. Include the function of each part." He flipped the page to the diagram, and gave it a look of disgust, "Dear God… _this_ is what they're teaching in public school? No thank you."

Kurt chuckled, "You guys aren't learning this?"

Blaine shook his head, "No, at least not now. Right now we're learning about fish, not lady parts."

"Well then, you're not much help."

Blaine joined Kurt on the floor, "Now hold on, Mister. I can still try, can't I?"

"I suppose." Kurt sat the paper between them. Blaine leaned towards him to get a better look. Kurt felt warm and fuzzy at just the mere closeness. He didn't know why he was feeling this way. He had been close to Blaine many times before. Did he like him? Was that it? Kurt pondered the idea for a moment. He had been called gay before as an insult, but he never really thought that he was. He had never really felt an attraction to the opposite sex before. He had always convinced himself that the right girl would come along and he would feel some kind of attraction. But he was feeling an attraction right now, and it was for Blaine.

"What the hell? I thought they peed out of their vaginas." Blaine shook his head at the paper, "Girls are a mystery to me."

"Agreed." Kurt said almost too quickly.

"I just don't understand them," Blaine continued as he lay down on his back and stared at the celling, "I mean, they aren't straight forward with anything. It's like they _want_ to see you crash and burn trying to figure out what they mean. They are always upset about something, and get angry when you don't know why they are. Don't even get me started on periods."

Kurt's eyes swept over Blaine's body and landed on his pink lips, "Yeah." He agreed absentmindedly.

"That's what I like about guys. They know what they want and tell you what's wrong. Now, don't get me wrong, girls are great as friends and stuff… I just… can't see myself with one."

Kurt's eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. Did Blaine just say what he thought he said, or was he imagining things. It took him a moment to see that Blaine was waiting for some kind of reply, "Same."

Blaine's eyes darted to Kurt's quickly, "So… you, um… don't really like girls that much either?" He sat up.

Kurt's stomach filled with butterflies and his eye drifted back to his pink lips, "No. Like you said, guys are more… attractive."

Blaine grinned, "I didn't say that."

Kurt became flustered again, "Oh, you didn't? Sorry, I guess I wasn't paying as much attention as I thought, honest mistake." He rambled.

Blaine was closer now. Much closer. Kurt's breaths became heavier and he felt a stirring deep down. He was incredibly close. Close enough to kiss.

"It's fine. I completely agree. Guys are_ much_ more attractive." Blaine smirked.

They both stayed a moment, just watching each other, waiting for the other to do something. As if almost on command, they both leaned in to close the short gap between their lips. They were unsuccessful, given the loud intrusion that made them both jump.

"How are you boys doing in here?" Burt bellowed, swinging open the door.

Blaine sprang quickly to his feet and avoided eye contact, "Just fine, but I've got to go, don't want my parents to worry," Blaine started to leave, "Bye Kurt."

"Bye Blaine."

"See you later, Blaine." Burt watched him exit, then turned to Kurt, "What's his problem."

"No idea."

Burt shrugged, "I just came in her to tell you some good news. Your Aunt Amy is getting married!"

"Again?" Kurt groaned.

"Yes, again. We were invited," Burt pulled the card out of his pocket and read off of it, "For Burt Hummel, Kurt Hummel, and plus one. I don't have anyone I want to bring, so you can figure out who our plus one is." He smiled again, and left Kurt to his thoughts.

Kurt got up and fell back onto his bed, stuffing his face in a pillow and letting out a loud groan. Why did his dad have to walk in? Kurt threw the pillow out of frustration of how close they were to kissing. He thought that there was no way they'd get that close again with how embarrassed Blaine looked. If only there was some romantic gesture he could do to show Blaine that he liked him. Then it hit him. Kurt knew exactly who was going to be his plus one.

* * *

_A/N: Did somebody say sexual tension? No? Oh, just me, then. Hope you liked it. Please leave a comment! It makes my day!_


	5. Another Perfect Day

Chapter 5: Another Perfect Day

* * *

Kurt sat in Biology class pretending to listen to his teacher's daily lecture. He was more preoccupied with the fact that Blaine hadn't talked to him since their awkward encounter. He didn't answer any of Kurt's texts or return any of his calls. There was no disputing it, Kurt had a crush on Blaine. How to approach the subject was what was troubling him. Getting Blaine to talk to him would be a great first step.

"Damn it." Kurt said under his breath as he peaked at his phone. Blaine still hadn't answered him.

Rachel, who was sitting next to him, heard his mutter, "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing." He huffed.

"Well it sure doesn't sound like nothing."

Kurt let out a heavy sigh," Blaine hasn't talked to me for a few days. I can't help but feel like he's ignoring me."

"Don't worry about it," Rachel reassured, "He's probably just busy or something."

"But he would have told me if he was busy, plus, Wednesday was our movie day. He never misses movie day. We were going to watch Sex and the City."

Rachel thought for a moment, " Did anything happen that might have... I don't know... upset him?"

Kurt bit his lip, "Maybe..."

"What was it?"

He took a deep breath, "Well, a few days ago-"

"Mr. Hummel!" The teacher roared, making Kurt jump, " You seem quite talkative back there. You surely must know all of the answers already. Perhaps you could grace us with your infinite knowledge, and answer number three."

He glanced around the room nervously. Everyone was staring at him waiting for an answer. He eventually submitted, "I don't know the answer."

"That's what I thought." His teacher spat. "Pay attention next time."

When the bell finally rang, the students flowed out the door. Kurt was stopped by his teacher.

"Kurt. May I speak with you "

When he got home that afternoon, he was furious. Kurt threw his school bag to the floor and stomped to his room, slammed the door, and flopped down onto his bed. He had to serve detention on Saturday. He was also chased home by a few of his regular bullies whom left him with a parting message, 'See you Saturday'.

"This is so stupid!" Kurt said to himself as he punched his pillow. When he had calmed down, he pulled out his phone. He had one new message, but it wasn't from Blaine, it was from Mercedes.

Someone got his butt chewed out lol!

Kurt ignored her and decided that he would try to call Blaine again, despite the fact that he would most likely not answer. The phone rang once, then twice, and then, much to Kurt's surprise, Blaine picked up.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hey," Kurt replied and stood up, "how are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm..." Kurt sighed as he started pacing around the room, " I'm confused, Blaine."

"About what?" He asked more concerned this time.

"Us. You haven't spoken to me since you were at my house helping me with homework and I can't help but feel like you've been avoiding me."

Kurt waited with baited breath. The silence on the other line was killing him with each agonizing second that passed.

Blaine inhaled deeply, " I'm sorry Kurt. I have been avoiding you because I didn't know how I felt. I've been confused about us, too."

Kurt figured this was a good time to admit his feelings for him, "Blaine, I-"

"Hold on, just let me finish. I thought it over. We've been so close for so long, and you're such an amazing guy. And that's why I made the decision that I want us to just be friends."

Kurt was speechless. This day couldn't get any worse, " Just be friends?" He asked with a shaky voice.

"Yeah. Kurt, we have such a great friendship. It would be a shame to ruin it with a relationship that probably wouldn't work out in the end anyway. Are... are you okay?"

It took him a second to process what he was hearing, " Yeah," he finally said, his eyes starting to water, " that's what I was going to say anyway. That we should just be friends. Us being boyfriends is just a dumb idea." He lied.

"I'm glad we sorted this out."

"Me too."

"So, um, do you want to hang out or something?"

"No," Kurt answered quickly, " I'm pretty busy today. Maybe some other time."

"Oh. Okay. Bye I guess."

"Bye."

He hung up the phone and plopped back down on his bed as a million different questions went through his head. What if Blaine said he didn't want to ruin our friendship because he's too afraid to tell me that he doesn't like me like that? What if he was just joking when he told me he liked boys? What if he wasn't even trying to kiss me, and I made up the whole thing in my head? All these thoughts just worked him up and ultimately gave him a head ache. He laid back and rested his eyes. Kurt stayed that way for a while, trying to stop the invading thoughts of Blaine not liking him. The sound of the door bell was enough to stir him. He stood up to answer it a little too fast, and became light headed. Once he was reoriented, he stretched and checked the clock on his wall. It was nearly 5 o'clock. He figured that he must have fallen asleep, for he felt like he'd only been there for a few minutes. When the door bell rang again, he remembered his original objective and left for the front door. He passed his father, who was standing in the kitchen.

"Didn't you hear the door bell?" Kurt asked.

Burt turned away from the newspaper that was spread out on the counter and turned to the sports section, "Huh?"

"I'll take that as a no."

Kurt trudged to the front door. The bell dinged yet again as he passed through the living room, "I'm coming! Hold your fucking horses." He muttered to himself.

When he opened the door, it was none other than Blaine Anderson.

"You didn't sound very okay." He said, flashing an earnest smile.

Kurt rolled his and started to shut the door.

"Woah, hey now," Blaine stuck out his arm to hold the door open, "I just got here, you could at least tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing," Kurt said sternly through tight lips, "Like I said, nothing's wrong, I'm just busy. In fact, I was just getting ready to leave, so if you'll excuse me."

He tried to shut the door again, but Blaine still stood strong, "No you're not."

"What?"

"You're not about to leave." Blaine said coyly.

"And how would you know?"

"Because you wouldn't go anywhere looking like that." Blaine motioned to him. When Kurt still looked confused, Blaine continued, " Your shirt is all wrinkled, your hair is messy, and on your jacket you have... What is that? Mustard?"

Kurt's eyes grew wide as he searched for the stain, "Oh God! Has that been there since lunch?" He licked his thumb and tried to rub it off.

"So really, Kurt, tell me what's wrong." Blaine gave him his infamous puppy dog eyes, which always tend to get him what he wants.

Kurt stopped fussing over his attire and looked rather dismal, "Look, I'm just not in the mood right now."

Blaine mirrored his companions sad expression, but then cracked a smile. He crossed his arms, and gave Kurt a smug look.

"What?" Kurt asked.

"Well," Blaine chuckled taking a step towards him, "It would appear that my Party Pooper Ray is working just as I planned."

Kurt tried his hardest not to smile.

"What's that, superhero? Got a bad case of Nofunitis? What a shame. I do know the cure, but alas, you are my nemesis."

Kurt turned his back to him, trying his best to ignore his enemy.

Blaine got even closer, so he was right in the superhero's ear, "It's a really tasty cure. I'll let you have some if you can catch me. Oh wait! You won't catch me because you're being a party pooper!"

Kurt spun around and tried to grab him, but he slipped right through his fingers. They both took off, running through the yard and playfully shouting at each other. Kurt was eventually able to catch Blaine by the collar of his shirt. He slowed him down, then pinned him against the wall of the house.

"How about that cure?" Kurt smirked.

"Damn," Blaine started, "foiled again. I suppose I do owe you a cure."

"Which would be?"

"Ice cream. Care to accompany me, super hero?"

"I'd love to." Kurt released him, "Just let me get changed first. I'm not going anywhere like this."

"I know."

The two friends made their way to an ice cream parlor a few blocks away and sat down across from each other while they dined on their frozen treat.

"And then he asked to see me after class," Kurt chattered, " And said that I don't respect him or his class room. So now I have to serve detention on Saturday."

"That sucks." Blaine chimed in, then scooped some hot fudge sunday into his mouth.

"Oh, that's not even the worst part." Kurt stopped to take another bite of the large sunday they were sharing," After school, you know those football Neanderthals I was telling you about?"

"Yeah."

"Well, they decide that my day hasn't sucked enough, because they chased me home shouting homosexual slang and profanities you would not believe the whole way." Kurt said matter-of-factly.

Blaine took a break from their sunday, "Kurt... that's horrible."

He shrugged, "It's not the first time."

"Well it's certainly going to be the last. How come you've never told me about this?" Blaine was getting agitated.

"It's not a big deal, calm down, Blaine."

"No. They have no right to do that to you. You don't deserve that. Nobody deserves that."

Kurt sat for a while, then stuck his spoon into their ice cream, " I'm finished."

Blaine felt bad for making the mood of their conversation so serious, "Hey, come on, you haven't eaten all of the cure! It won't work if you don't finish it. You don't want to suffer from Nofunitis forever, do you?"

All Kurt did was sigh.

Blaine snatched up Kurt's spoon and gathered a large glob of ice cream on it, "Come on, Kurt, you have to eat all of your antidote." Blaine moved it closer to the older boy's face, " Here comes the choo-choo train! Choo Choo!"

Yet again, Blaine had managed to get a smile out of the solemn boy.

"Blaine, stop it," He giggled, " We're in public!"

" Well you should have thought about that before you forced me to take drastic measures. Now, open up for the choo-choo train!"

Kurt gave in, knowing that Blaine wouldn't rest until he was enjoying his ice cream again.

"There!" Blaine said, "Now was that so hard?"

"Yes."

They sat there for a bit, just eating and enjoying each others company, until Kurt spoke up.

"Hey, Blaine."

"Yeah?"

"My Aunt Amy is getting married-"

"Again?"

"Yes, again, and I was wondering if you'd do me the honor of accompanying me?"

"Hmm," Blaine said, " Let me think... Of course! I love weddings!"

"Great!" Kurt smiled bashfully. Sure they may be going as "just friends", but that doesn't mean he can't have fun and enjoy himself.

* * *

A/N: FINALLY! Sorry about the wait, but you would not believe the things I had to do to post this chapter lets just say it involved several small children and a blood sacrifice. Ha, just kidding about the children. I haven't had a computer for a while, and I still don't, so there might only be a chapter every week or two from now on. But I promise I will finish this story. I won't abandon you guys. Thanks so much for waiting and please leave a comment!


	6. Pocket Knife

Chapter 6: Pocket Knife

"Now, children," Principal Figgins began, "there will be no talking, no cell phones, no Walkmans, and no leaving. This is detention, not an after school party. If you need me, I'll be in the teachers lounge pretending I'm somewhere else. I will be checking in shortly."

And with that he left, leaving Kurt stuck in a room full of people who despised him. There were eleven kids in all, and over half of them liked to pick on Kurt. All of the students ignored the rules and began chatting or texting. Kurt went with the crowd and pulled out his cell phone. He had a text from Mercedes.

_M: How's detention goin 4 u?_

_K: Just wonderful -_-_

_M: Lol! I was going to invite u to hang with me Tina and Artie but sadly u have to serve time._

___K: Tell me about it!_

_M: lol! Can we hang out tomorrow?_

_K: I can't. I already promised Blaine I would :)_

_M: u and that boy..._

_K: What about me and that boy?_

_M: u 2 are always together!_

_K: Well I can't help it! He's such good company! And he's smart, funny, cute, and really easy to talk to._

_M: Hold up boy. Did u just call him cute?_

_K: Maybe :)_

It took Mercedes a bit longer to reply.

_M: Do u have a crush on him?_

_K: Kind of :)_

_M: I gotta go. Have fun!_

_K: Will do._

Kurt leaned back in his chair, trying to figure out what to do. He wanted to tell Mercedes all about what had happened between him and Blaine. He was surprised that she didn't beg him for the juicy details. He decided that the next best thing to telling Mercedes about Blaine was talking to the man himself.

_K: Hey :)_

_B:Hey! How goes it?_

_K: Meh. I'm just sitting here in detention :/_

_B: Oh yeah that's right_

_B: Wait... You can use your phone in detention?_

_K: Nope :)_

_B: Wow Kurt, I didn't know you we're such a bad boy ;)_

Kurt's heart nearly leaped out of his chest. Was Blaine... flirting?

_K: There's a lot you don't know about me ;)_

_B: Well I'm eager to find out ;)_

Kurt grinned uncontrollably as he read the message. He held the phone to his chest, sighing in contentment as his heart swelled. Talking to Blaine always made him feel like that. Like he's being lifted from the horrors of really life, and elevated to a place of happiness, where all that exists is him and Blaine. Almost like heaven. Kurt didn't believe in God or heaven or anything like that, but he couldn't describe the feeling any other way. A swift smack to the back of the head brought Kurt out of his trance.

"What's up, queer?" David Karofsky asked, towering over the sitting boy.

"Leave me alone, Dave." Kurt warned.

"Who you texting? Your faggy boyfriend?" He asked menacingly, shoving Kurt and nearly knocking him out of his seat.

"Stop it!" He pleaded while stabilizing himself.

David snatched up Kurt's phone and held it out of his reach.

"Give it back!" Kurt shouted as he tried to grab it, but David held Him back with his free hand.

"Calm your tits, queer. I'm just letting your boyfriend know how you really feel about him." David teased. He began typing in a message.

"No! Stop it! Give me my phone!" Kurt commanded. Dave's giant fist held the smaller boy's shirt with a tight grip, stretching the material to hold him back.

"David!" Principal Figgins commanded, "Return his phone."

Dave scoffed and tossed it roughly at Kurt.

"Now, David, since you seem to think detention is a place where you can pick on weaker children, I want to see you back here next week. Hopefully by then, you'll learn your lesson."

Dave's face became red bright red as retreated to a seat. Meanwhile, Kurt was furiously scrolling to see what message had been sent to Blaine, but he didn't get the chance.

"Mr. Hummel. I believe that one of the rules was no phones." Figgins warned.

Reluctantly, Kurt put his phone away and returned to his seat.

"I think I'll stay here, since you children can't control yourselves." Figgins announced. He sat down at the large wooden desk at the front of the room.

Kurt turned around to see where his aggressor had scurried off to. David was sitting at the very back off the room in a small group. He looked to Kurt and shook his head solemnly.

At five o'clock, Figgins let the students out. Kurt immediately pulled out his phone as he exited slowly. It took him a second to find his conversation with Blaine.

_B: Well I'm eager to find out ;)_

_B: Hello?_

_B: You there?_

_K: Listen homo. I hate u so much. How about u go nd fucking kill yourself so I don't have to look at ur stupid faggy face._

Kurt felt like he was going to puke. He typed as fast as he could.

_K: That wasn't me! This asshole took my phone! I'm so sorry!_

_B: it's fine_

The sun was getting lower in the sky, giving some drifting clouds a pink tint. Leaves on the trees had become different shades of gold and red in preparation for fall. The parking lot was cracked and sun bleached, with the lines on it fading. There were puddles in scattered potholes from the rain storm early that morning. It was virtually empty, besides the few students who were just leaving. Kurt walked outside and began to call his father for a ride home. He was startled when he was tickled for behind. With a yelp, he spun around to see it was Blaine.

"You scared me! Don't do that!"

"Sorry, just thought I'd surprise you."

"Well you certainly did." Kurt reassured, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to escort you home." Blaine said proudly, holding out his arm for Kurt to link with.

"And why do I need an escort?"

"Because of those guys that chased you home. I'm not going to let them."

Kurt nodded and linked their arms as they started to walk, "How exactly would you stop them? I mean, they're twice as big as you and half as intelligent."

"By smooth talking them into leaving. I'm like at least forty percent charm."

Kurt giggled, "What about the other sixty percent?"

"Easy. Twenty percent performer, fifteen percent genius, ten percent awesome, and five percent coffee." Blaine calculated.

Kurt counted up all of the numbers," That's only ninety percent."

"And ten percent bad at math."

Kurt looked over to his best friend. His smile and kind eyes were so comforting. So trusting. His hazel eyes were the same shade as sunlight piercing through a jar of honey. His gleaming hair was midnight black, and wasn't quite as gelled as usual. His outfit was colorful and complimented with his signature bow tie, and his pleasant expression emitted a feeling of security. Kurt had had a crush on Blaine before, but in that moment, walking with him arm in arm, Kurt fell in love.

They had nearly left the parking lot, when Blaine stopped. His face lost its once cheery expression.

Kurt, who had been staring at him, looked at where Blaine was glaring. Three boys walked out from behind a car and began approaching them.

"Are these the assholes?" Blaine asked coldly.

Kurt didn't hear him over the sound of his heart nearly beating out of his chest, "Wh-what?"

"Are they the asshole you told me about?"

Kurt had never seen Blaine like this before, "Yes."

"Hey there, faggot!" David announced, making his friends laugh.

With a nod, Blaine dropped Kurt's arm and walked right up to them.

"Blaine, please don't." Kurt almost whispered.

"Ah ha! The faggot's dick monkey." David greeted, his friends finding it equally as funny.

"Look," Blaine started, standing rather close to them, "you don't need to do this. Kurt isn't hurting you in any way, so can you just leave him alone?"

"Oh dick monkey, you're funny, but I don't speak queer. Jeremiah, could you translate?"

Kurt froze. He hadn't recognized him before, but now Kurt saw that it was indeed Jeremiah. He was much bigger than Kurt remembered him, and he had wavy blond hair that looked like it hadn't been washed in months and piercings all over various parts of his face. His eyes were bloodshot, constantly moving all over the place. Jeremiah had moved away about four years ago, so what was he doing here?

"I think he said he wants us to kick his ass." Jeremiah suggested in a low, threatening voice.

"Well he's in luck." Said the third boy. Kurt recognized him as well, but his name escaped him at the moment. He was the same age as Kurt and David and he sported a mohawk.

"Guys, I don't want to start any-" Blaine stopped when he saw Jeremiah's fist flying at him. He dashed to the side, dodging the blow, but then tripped over Jeremiah's foot. Blaine landed hard on his left arm as he came crashing to the pavement.

"Blaine!" Kurt cried out and hurried over to his friend. But he wasn't quick enough because David lunged forward and grabbed him, holding his hands behind his back. Kurt struggled, but was unable to break free. Blaine was trying to get back up, but his injured arm was making it difficult. In one swift kick to the gut with his heavy boot, Jeremiah sent Blaine back to the ground.

"No! Stop! Please!" Kurt shouted as he began to cry and thrash around violently. The kid with the mohawk got a kick in, too.

"Stop it! Stop it now!" He commanded again. Only then, did Kurt notice that Jeremiah was watching him. Staring him dead in the eye, watching his reaction. Jeremiah's mouth turned into a crooked smile. He was enjoying this.

Kurt felt something snap inside of him. Everything had been just fine, but they ruined took the one think Kurt held so dear, smashed it to the ground, and started kicking it. And he wasn't going to let them do anything else.

Kurt swung his leg forward, and then back as hard as he could right into David's crotch. Needless to say, he released Kurt, who charged at Jeremiah and the both fell to the ground. Kurt scrambled back up to his feet and over to Blaine while Jeremiah tried to catch his breath. The three aggressors now circled the two best friends.

Kurt stood over Blaine, trying to protect him.

Once Jeremiah had gotten to his feet, there was a fire in his eyes the wasn't there earlier, "I'm done fucking around."

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a pocket knife.

"Woah man, just take it easy." The boy with the mohawk said.

"Yeah, dude," David spoke in a higher voice than usual, "put that thing away."

Kurt saw that the other two attackers were now scared of their older friend. And if they were scared, then Kurt must really be in trouble.

Jeremiah lurched forward and grabbed his prey by the collar, holding the knife near his throat.

"I could kill you," Jeremiah whispered, "I could fucking kill you right here, stick this knife straight through your neck and twist it nice and slow, then dump your body in a lake, and no one would know. Then, I'd kill your boyfriend right here by bashing in his fucking skull, but right before it'd happen, his finally thought would be of how you didn't even try to save him, and he'd hate you. Then I'd kill your dad. I'd do it nice and slow. Give him enough time to feel all of the blood leave his body. His last thought would be of you, and how you left him all alone, and he'd hate you for it, too. No one would know what really happened to that little boy named Kurt Hummel. They'd have your funeral and give you a grave, but they'd have nothing to bury, because you corpse would be at the bottom of a lake, slowly wearing down to the bones."

Kurt couldn't move. He was paralyzed with fear. The other two boys had fled. Blaine was laying face down, trying not to move or vomit, completely unaware of the situation happening no more than a foot away from him.

"I won't do it." Jeremiah put the knife back in his pocket, grabbed Kurt by his hair, and forced him to the ground. He bent down right next to Kurt's ear, and uttered the three words that would haunt Kurt for the rest of his life.

"But I could."

Jeremiah straightened his jacket and walked away. He hopped into his car and drove off well above the speed limit.

Kurt sat there, taking it all in. He felt sick and scared, but he refused to cry. That's all Jeremiah wanted from him, and Kurt wasn't going to give it to him. It took a soft moan from Blaine to break his trance.

"Shit," Kurt breathed softy, "Hey, it's ok. They're gone."

He sat near Blaine's head and hoisted it onto his lap as a pillow.

Blaine was coughing and holding his gut gently with his good arm.

"I think I'm gonna puke." Blaine said brokenly.

"Shh. Easy. I'm going to call my dad and have him take care of this. Don't worry." Kurt started dialing on his phone.

Despite the pain, Blaine smiled," Why would I worry? I've got a super hero right here."

He started another coughing fit, and Kurt just cradled his head. Kurt may not have believed in God, but in that moment, he wished he did. He wished he had something to pray to to make everything better, because he sure as hell couldn't do it on his own.


End file.
